Vehicle-step.



J. F. CLARKE. VEHICLE STEP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1914- hlgg gg Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

73 /5 Invent-o7". wzlinessesr M J .7; James 2". Zarke.

UNITED STATES rArENr orrion- To all whom it may concern:

' above the inwardly frame. I receive rods 7 having threadedouter ends'mounted on the car frameJIO in its ends'whi-ch bolts are arrange JAMESrmcxs CLARKE, or nos ANGELES, cauromim.

. VEHICLE-STEP.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application med li'ovember 1c, 1914. Serial No. 872,357.

Be. it known that I, JAMES FRANCIS CLARKE, a'citiz''n'of the sidingatLos Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, haveinvented new and useful Improvementsin Vehicle- Steps, of which thefollowing is a specification.-

This invention relates to vehicle steps, and particularly pertains tosteps especially adapted for use on street cars.

It is the object of this invention to provide a car step having anapertured. and serrated tread surface, and which is built up of aplurality of removable reversible and interchangeable members.

Another object is to provide a means for supporting and connecting thetread members whereby they may be readily removed and reversed orremoved.

The invention is illustrated in panying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car the accomplatform showing theimproved step applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the inventionwith parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a detailcross section on the line 3-3of Fig. 2 as seen in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is across section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as seen in the directionindicated by the arrows.

More specifically, 5 designates the car step frame which is here shownas formed of T iron bent in the shape of a rectangular frame with theflange interiorly disposed; the front rail portion of the frame beingpreferably rounded on its upper edge as indicated at 6. The ends of theframe are formed with perforations arranged with the perforations on oneend disposed opposite the perforations on the opposite end and extendingflange of the These perforations are designed to for the reception ofnuts 8; the ends of the rods 7 extending a sufficient distance'beyondthe end members of the frame to engage and be seated in the stepsupporting brackets 9', the usual manner.

To brace the frame 5 transversely a plurality of bolts ll'connect theside members of the frame at suitable points intermediate theinturnedflange portion of'the frame as particularly shown in Fig. landare'held United States, re-

- particularly shown across said frame,

(1 beneath in place by means of nuts 12. The frame 5 1s designed toreceive a plurality of tread members ll'which are preferably formed ofcast iron and of such length as to extend between the side rails of theframe as particularly shown in Fig. 3. The tread members are serrated ornotched as indicated at 15 on their upper and lower edges to provide asecure footing; the members 14 being designed to be inverted when theserrated upper face becomes excessively worn.

The tread members 14 are designed to be spaced apart a distance slightlygreater than their thickness and are provided with spacing hubs 16 ontheir opposite sides. The hubs 16 are designedf to abut against thecorresponding hubs on the adjacent tread members and are arranged inalinement with the perforations in the end members of the frame 5; thehub 16' being formed with bores 17 arranged in alinement so as toreceive the rods 7 which rods serve to hold the tread members in place.

In assembling the step the tread members 14 are placed in position withtheir ends resting on the flange 18 of the frame 5 as in Fig. 3, andwith the apertures or bores 17 in the hubs 16 arranged'in alinement witheach other and in register with the apertures in'the end rails of theframe 5. The frame 5 is then placed in position on the brackets 9,whereupon the bolts or rods 7 are passed through perforations in thebrackets 9, thence through the end members of the frame 5 and throughthe bores 17 in the hubs 16, and positioned with the ends of the bolts 7projecting through the brackets 9. The nuts 8 are then screwed intoplace, thereby securing the frames 5 in position on the brackets 9 andlocking the tread members 14 against displacement.

.What lclaim is:

. 1. A car step, comprising a'frame haying a plurality of oppositelydisposed bolt receiving openings, bolts passing through said openingsand extending longitudinally and a series of removable tread memberssuppor having apertured hubs engaged by said bolts.

2. In a car step, frame, a plurality of ,tread members formed with upper'andwlower serratededges having apertured hubs on the opposite sidesthereof, and bolts passing through said apertured 'd on said frame i aflanged rectangular hubs and through the end members of the to securethe tread members and the frame frame to secure the tread members andthe together. frame together. 1 In witness that I claim the foregoing IIn a car step, a rectangular frame a have hereunto subscribed my namethis 16th 5 plurality of tread members formed with day of October, 1914.

serrated upper and lower edges, spacing hubs formed on opposite sides ofthe tread JAMES FRANCIS CLARKE members having apertures therein, andWitnesses: bolts passing through said apertured hubs MARGUERITE BATES,

1 and through the end members of the frame MARIE BATTEY.

